By Boyko Nikolov
PRAGUE, ($1=21.97 Czech Koruna) — Greece continues to upgrade its combat capability and is looking for a new multiple rocket launcher for its ground forces. That is why the Czech manufacturer Excalibur Army hopes to win the trust of its Greek counterparts in NATO and demonstrates to them its latest multiple rocket launcher RM-70 Vampire. BulgarianMilitary.com has learned from its sources in the Greek Ministry of Defense that the RM-70 Vampire has managed to impress the generals of the Greek infantry and artillery.
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Excalibur Army began developing the RM-70 Vampire nearly seven years ago when the prototype was released in 2015 from the production facilities of the Czech plant. The same year, but at the end of it, Czech experts and the military conducted the first test shootings on a 122mm multiple rocket launcher. Two years later, in 2017 at the International Defense and Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi – IDEX, Excalibur Army shows for the first time the RM-70 Vampire to the world.
Greece is not an accidental destination for the Czech producer. The Greek army currently owns the older version of the RM-70. Currently, 111 Czech multiple rocket launchers are in service, and with the new version of the RM-70 Vampire, Greece can significantly upgrade the combat capability of its artillery capabilities. The good news for Greece is that it has a significant arsenal of 122mm missiles. RM-70 Vampire shoots with the same but offers greater capabilities. Here are some:
RM-70 Vampire122mm MLRS
The 270-kW V-shaped eight-cylinder Tatra T3C V8 engine provides a guaranteed speed of 90 km / h and strong mobility of the entire missile system. RM-70 122mm MLRS is integrated with the chassis of the truck Tatra T-815-7 8×8 [formerly Ural-375D 6×6] and semi-automatic system of the gearbox Tatra Norgen, as well as an additional gearbox Tatra 2.30TRS. With a single tank charge, the missile system can travel 1,000 km. The crew and cabin of the missile system are protected and have certified NBC protection.
Many experts say that the RM-70 122mm MLRS is very similar in performance to the famous Russian BM-21 Grad MLRS. This means that if the Russian fires two 122mm missiles in one second, within half a minute the Czech RM-70 122mm MLRS will empty all 40 artillery tubes. However, the RM-70 Vampire not only fires this type of ammunition but can use both NATO-standard missiles and old Soviet or modern 122mm Russian missiles. RM-70 Vampire can use the original Soviet 9M22 and 9M28, or local JROF with a range of 20.75 km, JROF-K with a range of 11 km, “Trnovnik” with 63 HEAT-bombs and a range of 17.5 km, “Kuš” with five PPMI-S1 anti-personnel mines or “Krizhna-R” with 4 anti-tank mines PTMI-D and a range of 19,450 m.
RM-70 Vampire can fire in two ways – through individual volleys [single shot] or completely firing 40 missiles in a series of volleys. This missile system can damage large areas. Tests show that enemy positions scattered over a range of 3 hectares are safely threatened, especially if high-explosive fragmentation shells are used. In one volley of 40 missiles, the impact force is equal to 256 kg of explosives.
One of the main features of the RM-70 compared to the BM-21, a magazine rack with 40 122mm rockets is housed at the back of the crew cab for quick reloading. Once all 40 122-mm rockets have been fired, the launcher barrels can be aligned with the magazine rack of a further 40 rockets that are then mechanically inserted into the empty barrels without human intervention.
What else?
In addition to their latest version of the missile system, the Czechs have developed several variations of the RM-70. There is an RM-70 light version of the missile system, which is not armored. Another model from the same missile system has a completely updated fire control and navigation system.
The RM-70 Modular, for example, is a model from 2000, when Germany and Slovakia decided to upgrade the RM-70 to NATO standards, thus upgrading the missile’s combat capability by adapting it to fire 122mm missiles or twice less 227mm missiles. . In this model the cabin is completely armored. The RM-70 Modular is available as an upgrade for RM-70 owners.
RM-70 in all its variants operates in 18 countries. Experts identify RM-70 as the only real and true competitor of the impressive Russian VM-21 Grad.
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